Caregiver Burden in Caregivers of Patients Receiving Hemodialysis: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Background Living with End Stage Kidney Disease and hemodialysis place too much burden on patients and their caregivers. The concept of caregiver burden describes a set of diverse caregiver experiences in providing care and requires a complex and multifaceted definition. Limited studies have looked at caregivers of patients receiving hemodialysis and the concept of caregiver burden from their perspective. This study aims to develop the concept of caregiver burden among family caregivers of patients receiving hemodialysis.Method This study was conducted using directed qualitative content analysis method. Twenty one family caregivers, patients, dialysis nurses, physicians, and social workers in teaching hospitals of Tehran and the Iranian Kidney Foundation, Tehran, Iran were enrolled using maximum variation purposive sampling method. Sampling was continued until data saturation was reached. The data collection method was in-depth and semi-structured interviews. In order to analyze the data, the directed qualitative content analysis method was conducted based on the method proposed by Elo and Kyngas which was modified by Assaroudi et al.Results A total of 1162 codes, 63 subcategories, 18 generic categories, and 5 main categories were extracted. The concept of caregiver burden in family caregivers of patients receiving hemodialysis and its dimensions based on the dimensions of the Structural Model of Caregiver Burden Model were approved and another dimension titled a time-dependent burden added to it. Conclusions The caregiver burden experienced by caregivers of patients receiving hemodialysis has physical, psychological, emotional, spiritual, financial, social, and time-dependent dimensions.